Smile by The Wide

Epic. Energetic. Infinitely wide.

What is the difference between a charming smile and a broad grin? The finesse, the latent subtleness, the secrecy and the not quite obvious. In this sense, the title “SMILE” of the new THE WIDE album (release date: 2022-10-29 via Echozone) is a time travel into the subconscious, musically floating between dream pop and indie rock, soundwise perfectly balanced, almost like its very own genre in a musical cosmos divided into categories.

Originating from Mönchengladbach / Germany, the band goes beyond musical boundaries with their second album (following the debut album “Paramount”, 2018). The five musicians from Scotland, England, Switzerland and Germany see themselves as crossover artists who come together again and again like attracted by a magnet to create a homogenous, room-filling sound with every tune and every note of their songs.

The live performance unlocks the experience immediately; very spherical-hynotic, led by almost heroic-melodic vocals, the songs lodge themselves into the brain area in charge of listening and feeling and captivate the audience forever.

THE WIDE were founded in 2016 by ex-members of Dead Guitars. Before then, singer Pete Brough, bass player Kurt Schmidt and drummer Hermann Eugster caused a stir with 12 Drummers Drumming and the album “Loveless” at the beginning of the 90s.

This day, THE WIDE’s line-up consists of the aforementioned three and the newly recruited guitarists Roo Hobbers and Sebastian Kühl. Roo played in several well-known UK bands like The Vaulted Skies. Sebastian, the youngest of the band, was vocalist and guitarist for Zone5. Both with a crazy devotion to atmospheric guitar sounds. The accomplished guitar work supported by Pete Brough on acoustic guitar is one of the most exciting sound scenarios which have been captured on hardware and converted into megabytes in the indie genre in recent years. “SMILE” was produced, recorded and mixed by bassist and mastermind Kurt Schmidt with whom vocalist Pete entertains a live-long friendship and spiritual kinship.

And the songs? “I Believe” is a pumping up-tempo opener. Then, the locks open up, the music spills out. Dark, dense, occasionally cinematic and always flooded with a sense of never-ending yearning. “See The Light”, a slow waltz blooming like a sunrise in the veld in Southern Africa. “Golden Blunder”, an epic track which shows off Pete Brough’s vocal merits with its Bowie-esque sound. After a thrilling, spheric loop intro, bass and drums point out the rhythmic direction of the musical journey and push the song onto the dancefloors of mainstream-free indie clubs. Whether trip or dream – “SMILE” feels like flying away and never coming back to earth. Let the Music do the Talking. Which is big. THE WIDE.

Showcase / Album Release: 2022-10-29
Rockschicht Viersen / NRW / Germany

ECHOZONE is a music label for independent music and covers a wide range of styles between electronic, ambient, gothic, wave to rock and metal influences. The label was founded in 2005 and is a division of BOB-MEDIA company. ECHOZONE offers label management, marketing, promotion, distribution and in combination with BOB-MEDIA's licensing, publishing, booking and video production departments.

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